UNAIDS organizes a 3-Day strategic campaigning workshop to unite forces and develop strategies in the fight against HIV/AIDS and related issues.

According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS),78 million people have been infected with HIV and 35 million have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the first HIV cases were reported over 35 years ago. Stigma and discrimination are recognized as key impediments to the HIV response at every step, limiting access to critical services targeting people living with HIV/AIDS.

To deliberate and collaborate on essential problems relating to HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention, treatment, and advocacy, UNAIDS has organized a 3-day workshop JUTA members and key partners.  

The workshop, which was held from 5th to 7th September in Akosombo, aims to strengthen and equip participants with campaigning strategies, share best practices, and chart a path forward to accelerate progress toward the fight towards HIV/AIDS and related issues.

The UNAIDS Country Director for Ghana, Mr. Héctor Sucilla Pérez, expressed enthusiasm about the workshop's potential impact to help prevent HIV issues and develop HIV response strategies through combined effort of the United Nations in Ghana. He said the UN will continue to support HIV response. “We cannot put HIV response on hold until it becomes alarming, it must be done daily.” He said.

“Making sure that no one is left behind, these are things that must cut across… {We need} to make sure that people living with HIV are not discriminated against” said the UN Resident Coordinator Charles Abani.

The facilitators for the day, UNAIDS Consultant Mr. Gnanam Devadass and the Influencing and Partnerships Director of UNAIDS in Geneva, Ms. Muleya Mwananyanda, shared practical tools on advocacy and awareness creation through interactive engagement. Ms. Mwananyanda emphasized on the need for the various UN Agencies to come together as this will propel them to get to where they want to get with the fight on HIV. “The workshop is to help participant help each other and support each other and to look at the enormity of the work and look at the challenges with HIV and solutions” she said.

The Director of Communications at UNAIDS Geneva, Ben Philips buttressed on the importance of communications to make a change and support the process to eliminate AIDS as a public health crisis by 2030. “This is possible but requires real transformative actions” he added.

The workshop's agenda included plenary sessions, discussions, and interactive activities. Participants engaged in open dialogue, shared experiences, and worked collectively to address the ongoing challenges posed by HIV/AIDS. The outcomes of this workshop are expected to feed into national strategies for HIV/AIDS prevention through advocacy.